the Corslet with the Breast-plate the Cuirasse with Tassets the Gorget of Mail Supeters whole Greaves Tasses Gantlets Helmet with Banners Arm-pieces Gossets Poldrons all guarded with Mail in the void spaces or Intervals Their Horses were barded and caparisoned with the Crannet and Frontstall For Offensive Arms they had the Sword by the side the Tuck at one side of the Pommel of the Saddle and the Battle-Axe at the other a long and great Lance in hand a Cassock which they called the Souldiers Coat which was of the Colour of their Ensign and Guidon of the Troop and bigger than that of the Light Horse The Light-Horse were armed with Gorgets Corslet with Tassets below the Knee Gantlets Arm-pieces great Shoulder-pieces Head-pieces with open Visers and the Cassock of the Colour of the Standard And for Offensive Arms a large broad Sword by the side the Battle-Axe at the Pommel of the Saddle and the Lance in hand The Estradiots were armed in the same manner as the Light-horse and and instead of Arm-pieces and Gantlets had Sleeves and Gloves of Mail a broad Sword by the side the Battle-Axe at the Pommel of the Saddle and the Zagaye in hand which they called Arzegaye ten or twelve foot long and headed with Iron at the two ends Their Coat over their Arms was short and instead of a Cornet they had a great Banderoll hanging at the end of a Lance. The Argolets were armed in the same way as the Estradiots except the Head which they covercd with a Cabasset or Casket that hindered them not to take aim Their offensive Arms were the Sword by the Side the Battle-Axe at the left side of the Pommel of the Saddle and at the right an Arquebuss two foot and a half long in a Case of Tanned Leather over their Arms a short Coat like to that of the Estradiots and a long Banderoll as they had to rally by The Cavalry under Henry the Fourth and Lowis the Thirteenth IN the Reigns of Henry the Fourth and Lowis the Thirteenth the Cavalry were divided into Gens-d'armes Light-Horse and Carabins The Gens-d'armes were armed with compleat Armour and carried Greaves and Knee-pieces under or over the Boots the Cuirasse Carabin-proof before and behind and instead of a Lance an Escopette or Petronel which carried five hundred paces the Holster Pistols charged with a Slugg of Steel a long and stiff Tuck without an edge Their Horses were armed with the Frontstall and Petrel The Light-Horse were armed with compleat Armour a Cuirass that was proof and the rest but slight they carried the Pistol at the Pommel of the Saddle under the Bridle-hand and on the other side the Salade or Head-piece The Carabins had for Arms a Cuirass voided and cut in the Right Shoulder that they might the better present and take aim a Gantlet reaching the Elbow for the Bridle-hand a Casket on Head and for Defensive Arms a long Sword a long Escopett or Carabin three foot and a half in length a Pistol at the Pommel of the Saddle and two Cartouches after the manner of the Reistres The Word Carabin comes from the Spanish Word Cara which signifies the Visage or Face and the Latine Word Binus which signifies double as if one should say Men of double Faces because of their way of fighting Sometimes flying and sometimes facing about We have changed the Carabins into Souldiers that fight both on Foot and Horse whom we have called Dragoons in imitation of the Dimachae of Alexander the Great which Name comes from the Greek Word Dimas that signifies terror and fear because they carried Dragons for their Ensigns FINIS Books Printed for Robert Harford at the sign of the Angel in Corn-hill near the Royal Exchange 1. MAre Clasum or the Right Dominion and Owner-ship of our Brittish Seas in Two Books by John Selden Esq in folio 2. A New Description of the Country of Surinam in 40. 3. The History of the Turkish Wars in Hungaria Transilvania Austria Silvesia and other Provinces of the German Empire from the first Invasion of Annirath the Se-Second 1432 to which is added a short Discourse of the State and Goverment of the said Provinces in 80. 4. The Sage Senator or a Discourse on the Wisdom of such as are called to publick Imployments for their Country prescribing a Method to discharge a publick Trust in 80. 5. The History of Portugal Describing the said Country with the Customs aud Uses among them in 80. 6. An Historical Essay Endeavouring a Probability that the Language of the Empire of China is the Primitive Language In 8. And also you may there have all sorts of Paper and Paper Books and the best Ink for Records
Profession of War there are Three things onely requisite Men Arms and Fortifications So many able Men hath already treated of Fortifications that I thought it would be to no purpose to speak on that Subject unless I intended to be an Eccho and repeat what others have already said I have spoken of Men lately in a Book which I called The Art of War but if I mistake not no Man hath hitherto treated of Arms. And therefore that these Three Parts may be compleat I thought fit to publish this little Treatise wherein I shall explain as clearly and in as few words as possibly I can the use of all Arms which are at present to be found in Armies as well as of those that were heretofore in use among the Romans AN ADVERTISEMENT FOr the better understanding of all that is said in this Treatise concerning Arms you must know Reader that the French Pound contains two Marks the Mark Eight Ounces the Ounce Eight Gros or Drams the Dram three Deniers and the Denier Twenty four Grains The Fathom contains six Foot the Foot twelve Inches and the Inch twelve Lignes The Cubit of the Ancients consisted of two Hands and three Fingers breadth The Hand of twelve Fingers breadth and the Fingers breadth of eight Lignes The Talent weighs Threescore Pounds the Roman Pound contains twelve Ounces the Ounce eight Drams the Dram three Scruples the Scruple six Siliques and the Silique one Grain The small Sexterce weighed Twenty four Pounds AN ELOGY ON The Profession of Arms AND THE ORIGINAL OF TRVE NOBILITY THe Profession of Arms hath in all Ages been the most Honourable and Glorious of all Professions and no man in Rome could rise to the Civil Magistracy who had not served Ten years in the Wars By Arms Kingdoms subsist Justice flourishes the Wicked are punished and the Proud humbled to their Duty and from them alone True Nobility derives its Original Before all men were born equal and the difference of Estates and Offices made the sole distinction of Persons War in Ancient Times was neither the Refuge of the Wretched nor the Sanctuary of the Banished and the Romans received none but Chosen Men into Service who were obliged to put themselves in Equipage and for the space of Twenty years serve at their own Expences either among the Horse or Foot and when they had fulfilled the term of their Service they received from the Common-wealth Rewards suitable to the merit of their Actions either by being promoted to the most Honourable Charges or being endowed with Lands and Inheritances in the Conquered Provinces where after the Fatigues of War they quietly enjoyed the Sweetness of Peace And that the Natives of the Countrey might not be banished but means of subsisting afforded them they gave them lands to labour for payment of a yearly Tribute Hence have sprung Tenures Dependancies Quit-Rents and Duties which Vassals owe to their Lords and Superiors These new Masters made themselves at first considerable by that Politeness which was so natural to the Romans by that way of Living which puts a Distinction between those that have Carried Arms and such as have not and by the reputation of their brave Exploits which they had engraven on their Shields as a Mark of the Nobility which they had acquired by their Valour And from thence we have Scutcheons and the Name of Esquire or Gentlemen All Rewards were not of equal value and were distributed according to merit as I have already said He who in an Assault first mounted the Wall of a Town was honoured with a Mural Crown and on him who had rescued a Roman Citizen was conferred a Civick Crown which was put upon his Head by the Persons own hands whom he had relieved from danger Those whose Actions were brave and more commendable were likewise more highly rewarded than others and had allotted them a larger share of Lands Such I say were of Chiefest Note amongst the Nobility as well in respect of their Wealth as in consideration of those Glorious Crowns which they carried on their Scutcheons And from them are descended the Illustrious Families of great Lords who carry Coronets over their Arms and who in progress of time have changed their Ancient Crowns into those which they bear at present according to the new Dignities wherewith Sovereigns have been pleased to honour them as of Duke Marquess Earl Viscount and Baron And though the Quality of Baron be wholly banished from the Court of France yet it was the first and I may say the onely Dignity that was heretofore in France as may be seen in the Ancient Chronicles of the Kingdom when they speak of Kings accompanied with the Chief Barons who were in that time what the Dukes and Peers of France are at present This puts me in mind of an Epistle in Gaulish Verse which is yearly sung at High Mass in the Parish Church of St. Stephen of Rheims on the Twenty sixth of December the Feast day of that Saint which thus begins Or ecoutez la passion De Saint Estienne le Baron c. Now hearken to the passion Of Saint Stephen the Baron The good people of past Ages would have thought themselves wanting in Respect and Veneration towards the Saints if they had not qualified them with the Name of Baron which was the Noblest Title of the great Lords of their Times I thought fit to adduce this instance to prove the Antiquity of Baronies but that I may return to my Subject I affirm that Arms have not onely made Dukes Marquisses Earls and Gentlemen but that they have also raised to the Throne Men of a low and despicable Birth King David was a Shepherd as well as Saul his Predecessor Antipater King of Macedonia was the Son of a Jugler Agathocles King of Syracusa the Son of a Potter Cambyses King of Persia the Son of a Beggar King Darius the Son of a Carter King Sibaris had been a Servant in an Inne and the Ottomans who at this day possess the greatest Empire in the World are descended from Grooms or Men that drove Camels These Examples oblige us to acknowledge that it is by Arms alone that Men render themselves worthy of the most Glorious Employments So likewise in that Profession is to be learnt that brave and gentile way of Demeanor which is found no where but among the Nobility and Gentry There every thing goes by Honour and without any hopes of Lucre and Profit There Men learn to be generous liberal and faithful There is nothing to be found in the Histories of the greatest Captains but Acts of Honour and Vertue The Valour of Alexander the Piety of Eneas the Prudence of Caesar the Modesty of Tiberius the Complaisance of Antonius Pius the Justice of Aulus Fulvius the Clemency of Augustus the Magnificence of Titus Vespasian the Chastity of Scipio Affricanus and the Integrity of Attilius Regulus are sufficient proofs of what I have alleadged To conclude I shall repeat what
I said in the beginning of this Discourse that the profession of Arms has been in all Ages not onely the most glorious and honourable of Professions but likewise that which has produced the greatest men These Two Books newly published are to be sold by Robert Harford at his Shop at the Angel in Corn-hill near the Royal Exchange THe Art of War and the way that is at present practised in France Two Parts Wherein the Duties and Functions of all the Officers of Horse and Foot Artillery and Provisions from the General of the Army to the Private Souldier are treated of With the method of Conducting Armies Encamping Besieging and giving of Battel As also an account of all Offices and Charges and the Names of the Towns Places Citadels Castles and Forts where the most Christian King keeps Garison with the general and particular terms of War Written in French by Lovis de Gaya an expert Officer of the French Army and Dedicated to his most Christian Majesty Translated for publick Satisfaction and Advantage In 8 â— The Military Duties of the Officers of Horse Containing the Exercise of the Cavalry according to the present Practice of the imes With the Motions of Horse and the Functions of every Officer from the Chief Captain to the Brigadeer Written in French by an Ingeneer in Ordinary to his most Christian Majesty And Translated for publick Satisfaction and Advantage In 8 â— A Treatise of ARMS Of Engines Artificial Fires Ensignes and of all Military Instruments The First Book Of the ARMS of A SOULDIER CHAP. I. Of Sharp Weapons Sect. 1. Of the Sword THE Sword whereof the Invention comes to us from Tubal-Cain the Son of Lamech and Zilla is the first of all Weapons without which a Souldier should never appear in publick because it serves him for Ornament as well as Defence It is not necessary it should be too long for it becomes thereby cumbersome in a Battallion especially during the time of the Motions nor must it be too short neither but of an indifferent length the Blade must be good and about an inch broad The most common length of Blades is two foot and a half and two inches and the Handles three inches and a half All Blades are kept in Scabberds made of Wood covered with Cloath or Leather having a chape at the end of Iron Steel Copper or Silver The Sword is carried in a Shoulder Belt of Buff or other Leather and hangs down from the right Shoulder upon the left Thigh in the same manner as was heretofore in use according to the report of Virgil. Humero cum apparuit alto balteus And of Silvius in his Tenth Book Tergo qua balteus imo Sinuatur coxaque sedet munimen utraque Nevertheless we find by the words of the Royal Prophet that the Belts which we have since called Waste-belts are more ancient than those we call Shoulder-belts when he says Gird your Sword on your Thigh c. When a man would stand right to his Guard he ought to keep his Body straight bending a little on the left Thigh his Legs not too far asunder his Feet on a strait Line one after another the Handle of the Sword off of the Haunch the point just opposite to the Shoulder the Arm stretched half out and the left Hand as high as the Eye The Enemies Sword may be put by the line of the Body by a little motion of the Handle either inward or outward Souldiers in a Battel or Attack do not regularly alwayes observe this Method and most part thrust on any way without troubling themselves much with the Tierce Guart or Feint but make use of their Swords to attack or to defend themselves according to the small talent that God Almighty has given them The Figure of a Souldier on his Guard Sect. 2. Of the Shable and Cimeter THe Shable is more in use amongst the Horse than other Bodies of Men it is not altogether so long as the Sword but to make amends for that the Blade is twice so broad and edged on one side and therefore it is more used for cutting than thrusting The usual length of Shables is two foot and four inches taking it from the guard and two foot and a half and three inches from the button of the Pommel to the point The Cimeter is a kind of Fauchin broader and more crooked than the Shable used more by the Turks Persians and Hungarians than others A Souldier on his Guard The Espadon or two Handed Sword The Shable The Cimeter The Bayonet The Ponyard Sect. 3. Of the Bayonet and Poniard or Dagger THe Bayonet is much of the same length as the Poniard it hath neither Guard nor Handle but onely a Haft of Wood Eight or Nine Inches long The Blade is Sharp-pointed and two edged a foot in length and a large inch in breadth The Bayonet is very useful to Dragoons Fufiliers and Souldiers that are often commanded out on Parties because that when they have fired their Discharges and want Powder and Shot they put the Haft of it into the mouth of the Barrel of their Pieces and defend themselves therewith as well as with a Partizan The Poniard or Dagger is a little Sword in length but about Twelve or Thirteen Inches which is carried at the Girdle It is nor long ago since Duelists fought with Sword and Dagger Sect. 4. Of the Espadon or Two-handed Sword THe Espadon is a kind of a Sword whose Two-edged Blade is very long and broad and whereof the Haft which I dare not call Handle because it is a foot and a half long is made cross-wayes It cannot be used but with both Hands in a Breach or behind a Palissadoe I never saw so many Espadons as among the Hollanders The Ramparts of all their Towns were furnished with them each distant from the other six paces with a like number of Clubs or Maces and indeed to consider such preparatives one would have thought their designs had been furious and that they had had a great mind to defend themselves stoutly But there is great appearance that they onely placed these Arms there to adorn their Parapets Swords of all Fashions Swords of all Sorts The Explication of this Figure A A Stick-Sword called by the Ancients Sica B A Sword for a Rancounter after the French mode C A Swisser's Sword D A Tuck or long Sword with a narrow Blade such as were in use not thirty years ago E A Spanish Sword F A Braquemart Fauchin or short Sword G A Hunting Cutlass with a Handle of Horn. CHAP. II. Of Fire-Arms Sect. 1. Of the Musket THe usual Arms of Souldiers are not onely the Sword Shable Dagger and Bayonet but also the Musket Fire-lock Mousqueton Pistol and many others and the first thing they should learn is to make the right use of such as their Officers have given them The Musket is a Weapon for Foot the Barrel of which is three foot and eight inches long mounted on
Cap-a-Pie in imitation of the Grecians the French retained the same Custom and from that comes the name of Gens-d'arms That Armour was onely good to resist Swords Stones Pikes Arrows and Javelots or Darts The Armour which is made now-a-days is proof against Musket and Pistol-shot but none but the Officers carry them on the most dangerous occasions The Head-pieces and the fore part of Cuirasses are Musket-proof and the other parts Pistol or Carabine-proof but that such Armour may prove good it is needful they be beaten out of cold Iron Head Armour has different names as Cask or Casket Helmet Head-Piece Burgonet or Spanish Marron Salade Morion Cabasset Pot Hat and Steel-bonnet Of all these Pieces of Armour some have Visieres and are Musket-proof others are plain and onely proof against a Cut or Blow The Cuirass is Musket-proof and heavier than the Breast-plate the Corslet which is of the same shape as the Cuirass serves to defend the noble parts The Neck is defended by the Gorget the Arms by the Vambraces the Shoulder-pieces Fore-arm-pieces Gossets and Gantlets the Thighs and Legs by Tassets Cuissots or Thigh-pieces Greves or Shin-pieces Knee-pieces and Supeters or Foot-pieces Sect. 2. Of the Coat of Mail. THE Coat of Mail by the Romans called Hamatus Thorax was a kind of Steel Jacket made of little Rings and Links of Mail interwoven together wherewith their Gend'arms defended themselves against Arrows Darts and Swords The Light Horse in time of Lovis the Eleventh made Vambraces and Gantlets of the same and therewith guarded the void spaces betwixt their Armour Though these Jackets be now no more in publick use yet there are some who still carry them under their Shirts especially such as are in fear of Fighting Duels or of being set upon None at this time in France are armed Cap-a-Pie except the Pikes of the Kings Regiments of Guards but their Armour is onely proof against a Cut. Sect. 3. Of the Buff-Coat THough to speak properly Buff-Coats be but an Apparel of Horsemen yet we may reckon them among their defensive Arms seeing they may easily resist a Sword if they be made of a good Skin They are of the same use to our Horse that these hard Skins whereof they made Breast-plates or Stomachers were to the Roman Souldiers of which Varo makes mention Buffe-Coats are made in form of a Just au Corps or Close Bodied Coat with four Skirts reaching down to the Knee There is no Trooper in the French Army but has his Buffe-Coat since Harnass has been laid aside and from thence comes the name of Light-Horse in imitation of the Ancient Horse who never carried Cuirass but Fought always in Light-Cloaths as Polibus saith Antiquit us equites loricas non habebant sed in veste succincta pugnabant Sect. 4. Of Casks or Head-pieces Helmet Gorget Curiasse Thigh peeces or Tasset's Vambrasse Gantelet The Generals and principal Officers wore Head-pieces guilt and set with precious Stones the top whereof was adorned with Feathers and rich Plumaches which made them conspicuous among the rest Cristaque tegit galea aurea rubra The original of Head-pieces came from the Lacedemonians and Cares was the first that beautified them with Plumaches Sect. 5. Of Cuirasses THe Souldiers of the Roman Militia made to themselves at first Stomachers or Breast-plates of unwrought Leather according to Varro de corio crudo pectoralia faciebant They had them afterward of Iron or Brass but these half Cuirasses were onely invented to hinder them from turning their Backs in Battel The Generals made use of Corslets of Guilt Leather which covered them on all sides Some wore Coats of Mail Loricae homatae like to the Shirts which are still in use others had them of Iron or Brass which I cannot better compare than to the Shells of Fish Loricae squammeae for so Isidorus calls them Squammea est lorica ex laminis aereis vel fereis concatenata in modum squammarum piscis None of all the Roman Infantrie but the Hastarii the Principes and Triarii were armed with Head-pieces Cuirasses and Bucklers The Velites of whom some were Slingers and others Archers were onely lightly armed that is to say with a Buckler and Helmet of Leather Pelta Parma A Round Buckler or Ronache Sheilds Sect. 6. Of Bucklers and Shields THe Shields and Targets which the Ancients carried on the left Arm to defend and parie blows in imitation of the Samnites who invented them were convex two foot and a half broad and four foot long some with Angles and others of an Oval Figure but were all made of Willow or Fig-tree strengthened with the Nerves and Sinews of an Oxe on which was streatched Linnen Cloath and that afterward covered with a Bullock or Calf's Hide the top middle and lower part were guarded with Plates of Iron to resist the Cuts of Shables Stones and Shafts that were darted or shot with violence Ovid in his Metamorphosis tells us that General Ajax had a Buckler covered with seven Skins Clipei dominus septemplicis Ajax The Grecian Pikes covered themselves with Rondaches or round Bucklers of Brass and the Bow-men had onely Bucklers made of Osier The Moors make use of Shields of the height of their Bodies which they imbellish with warious painting The Bucklers which the Ancients called Clipei differed onely from the Shield in that they were compleatly round and therefore the French have given them the name of Rondach The Spaniards and Affricans wore Bucklers of Thongs of Leather interwoven together which they called Caetrae as Lucan reports Illic pugnaces commovit Iberia caetras The Amazonians made use of a Buckler in form of a Cressant which they called Pelta Ducit Amazonidum lunatis agmina peltis Virgil. In the Reign of Numa Pompilius the Romans used little narrow and long Shields which they named Ancylia Heretofore such as began the profession of War carried only Parmis or little White Bucklers without any imbellishment until that by some brave action they had signalized themselves then were they permitted to use greater and to adorn them with the marks of their glorious exploits from thence we have the Custom of Arms which we commonly call Scutcheons or Shields a Scuto because they are in reallity the Shields or Bucklers of Gentlemen whereon they usually carry a representation of the brave Deeds of their Illustrious Progenitours The whole Armature of a Roman Souldier weighed no more than a Talent The End of the first Book The Second Book OF POWDER AND Artificial Fires CHAP. 1. Of Powder WE have had the Invention of Gun-powder from China by means of the communication that a Monk named Bertoldus had with the Tartars in his Travels in Moscovy about the year 1380. And therefore the Portugese were never so much surprized as when upon their accosting these unknown Countreys they saw a great many Ships equipped and ranked in Bataillia adorned with Streamers Penons and Ropes of several Colours of Silk but their surprize augmented when
other and fill them with powder putting thereto a Fuse We may reckon among our Engines of War the Herses Sarrasins or Cataracts and the Orgues which are great Pieces of Hanging Wood and are let fall down thorow holes when there is any fear of a Surprise or of the effort of a Petard Turn-pikes which are Beam stuck full of sharp-pointed Piles which roles upon a Pivot to stop a Passage The Crow-foot or Casting Caltrop are Iron Pricks made in such manner that what way soever they be turned they have alwayes the point upwards CHAP. VI. Of the Warlike Engines of the Romans Sect. 1. Of Machines or Engines in general WE call all things Engines whereof the Art and Contrivance surpasses the matter Materiam superabat opus says Ovid. From thence comes the Name of Ingeneer The Ancients called all things that serve to attaque or defend places Warlike Engines so does Moses call them in the 20th Chapter of Deuteronomy the last Verse Onely those Trees which thou knowest are not for meat those shalt thou destroy and cut down and make Forts against the City that maketh War with thee until thou subdue it All these ancient Engines were onely made of Wood pieced together and made fast with Iron which were placed upon the Turrets and Corners of the Walls to throw Darts and Stones of an extraordinary bigness Others there were onely for beating down of Walls and others for Mounting an Assault and for a Scalado Sect. 2. Of the Tortoise or Testudo THe Tortoise of the Ancient Gauls which the Romans used and called Testudo was nothing else but the crouding together of many Souldiers who covered themselves on the Head and Sides with a great many Bucklers The former Ranks carried them higher than the following in manner of the Tiles of a House that so whatever might be thrown upon them from the Walls might not stick but more easily slide to the ground Homer speaks of these Tortoises in this manner Scutum scuto haeret galeae galea atque vir viro They made use of that Invention for Scaling of Walls by mounting one upon another as Titus Liviusdescribes it Testudine parti muri ad mota cum armati spuerstantes subissent propugnatoribus muri fastigio altitudinis aequabantur Tacitus calls that Engine a reiterated Tortoise Super iteratum testudinem scandentes They not only made use of these Tortoises in attacking of Places but also in Battels breaking through the Legions of the Enemy All these Tortoises were not in this manner composed of Men and Bucklers they had besides certain Sheds of Wood twenty five foot square and covered with a Shelving Roof which they called Tortoises whereof some served to cover the Lodgings others to shelter the Workmen against Stones and Arrows from the Town and others to hang the Battering-Ram and cover those who were to swing it these were called Testudines Arictariae Sect. 3. Of Ladders THe Romans had Ladders of all Fashions which were alwayes two foot higher than the Walls they intended to scale Some folded and could with little inconvenience be carried any whither these were called Scalae compactiles Others were called Reticulatae aut Stupeae because they were made with Cords provided at the ends with strong Hooks to fasten them with to the Walls They had others that opened and shut in manner of Zizack And others at the end of which was a kind of a little Watch-House whereinto they put some body to spie what was doing on the Ramparts They had besides another kind of Ladder which they termed Rolling Ladders at the end of which were Bridges and others which they called Sambucae which were carried in Boats to scale Walls that were encompassed with Water Sect. 4. Of Bulwarks WHen the Romans intended to attaque a place they caused Bulwarks to be raised round the Walls which were in height twenty four foot and in breadth three hundred upon which they built Towers of VVood armed with Iron on all sides which commanded the Ramparts and from which the Besiegers threw upon the People of the Town Stones Darts Artificial Fire that they might thereby facilitate the approach of the Battering Rams and other Engines for taking of Places Sect. 5. Of Towers THe Towers which were used by the Romans in the attacking of Places went on VVheels were very high and on all sides covered with Plates of Iron which rendered them more weighty more difficult to be overthrown and less obnoxious to the danger of Fire These Towers were invented by one Diades a Souldier under Alexander the Great they had also other Towers which carried Bridges and Battering Rams Caesar caused to be built before Marseillis Towers of Masons Work five foot thick and near the Towers of the Enemies from whence he might incommode them he caused moveable Roofs to be made for them from which hung Skreens made of Cables or other Ship-ropes behind which the Workmen might under covert labour in the raising of the Towers Sect. 6. Of the Battering Ram. THe original of Battering Rams which Paulus Diaconus calls Exterminatorium Iustrumentum is very Ancient some attribute the invention of them to the Greeks and others to the Carthaginians However it be they performed in those days what our Canon and Mines do at present seing the onely use they were put to was to beat down the Walls of Towns which they intended to take The Battering Ram was made of a large Tree like to the Mast of a Ship which was in length six and twenty cubits and five hand breadths in diameter and within six cubits of the head was guarded with Iron Rings the head was of a knotty Wood covered with Iron and represented the Head of a Ram with Horns and therefore the name of Battering Ram was given to that Engine The Battering Ram hung betwixt great Beams of Wood by Massive Iron Chains and required a hundred men to swing and push it violently against the Walls Repulsus magna virorum manu says Flavius The shape of it may be seen in the Figure Sect. 7. Of Counter-Engines TO hinder Assaults and Storms the besieged made use of huge Stones Wheels Wagons with four Wheels filled with weighty Matters Columns Cylinders Mill-stones Tuns and Artificial Fire which they threw upon the Besiegers and their Engines with purpose to break them or to reduce them to Ashes They hindered the effects of the Battering Rams by opposing to them Packs of Wooll or by catching hold of them with Snares or Iron Engines made in form of Pinsers which they called Woolves meaning that such Woolves could catch the Ram because with these Engines they drew the Battering Rams up or broke them in the middle The End of the Third Book The Fourth Book OF ENSIGNS TRUMPETS AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS OF WAR IT may perhaps seem strange that I have comprehended in one and thâ— same Book and under one sole Title Ensings Trumpets and other Instruments of War considering the small Analogy they have to